Every Friday afternoon, I sit down and write the Survival Buzz, In doing so, I gather up all of scraps of paper where I have jotted down my accomplishments for the week and try to make some sense of them. Some weeks I do a better job than others both in terms of accomplishments and how I put them together. This week is one of those “not so good” weeks which, I am afraid, are becoming more frequent.
So what did I do to prep this week? Not a lot but what I did do I will list for you.
1. First of all, thanks to all of the great feedback on the Ammo Can First Aid Kit article, I added 2 of those lightweight emergency blankets plus a small amount of paracord to my kit.
2. I advocate keeping a supply of protein bars in all of your kits. My personal favorite are Kashi bars but because I tend to purchase in quantity, I became concerned about shelf-life and storage. I decided to give them a call and was told that whereas the stated “use by date” is 270 days from manufacture, in a low moisture, moderate temperature of 60 to 85 degrees, they will be good for double or triple that amount of time.
This was good news because I had planned on freezing half of my 35 bar box (my fav is Chocolate Almond & Sea Salt). What I ended up doing is stuffing a bunch in a mason jar and sealing them with my Food Saver jar attachment.
3. I packaged 50 pounds of white rice in buckets with gamma seals. This time I did not put the rice in a Mylar bag first, although I did add a 1000 cc oxygen absorber. I did, however, not this on the outside of the bucket so I do not open it up thinking I would pull out one of the many smaller bags of rice inside.
4. Ditto a bag of dog food.
5. I went salve crazy and took some Simple Salve and crafted small jars of various formulations, some new, some tried and true.
That about covers it for me this week. Now for some announcements.
Mini Review: Bob’s Butt Wipes
Last week I mentioned that I received some flushable wipes for testing purposes. The wipes, called Bob’s Butt Wipes, come in packets of 42 ensconced in a canister than can be hung from a branch in the outdoors or on a traditional TP holder.
I want to start by saying that because I am a DIY type of gal, I shun most disposables. I rarely, for example, use paper towels. Plus, I am wary of wipes because in my boating days, my VacuFlush marine head was clogged by a relative putting wipes down the toilet. The repair bill was almost a thousand dollars.
So here is the deal: I tried the wipes. There were definitely odor free (a good thing) and, umm, one wipe did the job. Now pardon the language, but if you had “poopy butt”, chances are you would need two or three but compare that to the miles of TP you would use. The other thing is that I opened the package of wipes, put it in its holder, and came back to it a week later. The top wipe was still fresh and moist, not like those dried out baby wipes I had tried in the past.
I think the real advantage to these wipes is not using them in your home, but rather while in the outdoors where the facilities might be an outhouse or a tin can. In addition, they would be very handy after a disaster when power, water, and sanitation systems may be compromised.
I like that they are alcohol free and unscented and that they appear to stay moist, even after opening. So if wipes are your thing, these are a great option (you can purchase them here). Plus, don’t you just love the quirky name?
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Backdoor Survival Mail Bag & Reader Tips
Here is a useful tip from DMWalsh:
While I store water in both the original factory bottles and some 5 gallon containers, I also have coffee filters, a Berkey and a huge garden cart.
A garden cart? Yep, if I’m going to fill up 2 or 3 of those 5 gallon containers at the river about 1/3 of a mile down the road then I’m going to need a way to get them back to the house safely, so the oversized cart can easily make the trip as it’s rated for 400 pounds and has nice big tires for muddy river banks.
If you’re thinking about a Berkey, don’t forget to get some green scrubbies to make sure you get the most out of the black filters. I also bought some of the Black Berkey Primers to use on my replacement filters just to make sure I get the full flow rate.
And I saw someone mentioned pool shock – I just like to remind folks if you’re using pool shock to make sure you have protective gear when dealing with it, and please make sure you take care when working with it. It’s a great long term prepping item if handled properly. If handled the wrong way it can cause severe burns, blindness, fires, and death.
Read up on precautions, print out a copy of them and store a copy with the pool shock packages and personal protective gear.
And speaking of those large water bottles, consider this next tip.
Emergency Water: How will you access your water?
When you store your water in large 5 gallon jugs (or even bigger containers) it is important to give some thought to how you will access that water without spilling it all over the place. Can you imagine trying to pour a glass of water from a 5 gallon container weighing more than 25 pounds?
On solution is a top-loading water dispenser. Although the bottom-loading ones are far easier to handle, particularly for someone who has limited strength or mobility, the top-loading dispensers require no pump and will work even when the power is out. You don’t have to have a huge dispenser taking up space in your kitchen. These small, porcelain, countertop dispensers will do the job just fine, with the bonus that they can be completely immersed and washed, unlike the large electric standing dispensers.
You can also purchase 3-gallon jugs to reduce the weight that you’re hefting to the top of your dispenser. Don’t forget that while you may be strong now, physical prowess declines for everyone as time goes on.
Current Backdoor Survival Giveaway
This week’s giveaway is for a Luci EMRG inflatable solar light. I know will want one of these plus there will be two winners.
Never Be In the Dark With The Awesome Luci EMRG Light + Giveaway
The Prepper Book Festival took a break this week but will be back again next Thursday.
With all giveaways, winners are notified by email and have 48 hours to claim their prize or an alternate will be selected. Once selected, the names of winners are also displayed in the Rafflecopter on the original giveaway article. This usually happens on the Friday following the end of the giveaway.
Essential Oils: Deal of the Week
Coming Soon to Backdoor Survival
There are a couple of upcoming events I want to share with you today.
First of all, on September 23rd at 7PM Central, I will be hosting another Solar Cooking Webinar featuring Paul Munsen, the CEO of Sun Ovens International. In this online event for Backdoor Survival readers and fans, find out how to harness the power of the sun to cook, dehydrate, purify water, and be better prepared for emergencies.
I will be sharing more information between now and then so mark your calendars so that you save the date.
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Also coming up soon is the annual Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle event. Some of you might remember this bundle from last year and the 2015 version plans to be even better. There will be some great stuff in this bundle including fantastic books and eCourses on essential oils, natural remedies, and homesteading in place. All told, there will be over 90 resources cover these and many more topics.
If you want to be notified when the bundle becomes available, you can sign up now. As soon as I can, I will provide the specifics of the Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle 2015.
The Final Word
I started out by saying that this week was kind of dud, prepping wise. And you know what? It makes no matter. We all have lives to pursue and adventures just waiting to happen. Sometimes we need to set preparedness aside and do things just for the heck of it.
Me? I am getting ready to hit the road on a personal adventure that I just know is going to be a blast. For a couple of weeks I hope to set aside the garden (and the beets that were devoured by deer), housework, chores, and a bunch of other stuff I don’t even want to think about.
So what about you – what did you do to prep this week? And do you have some grand adventure in your future?
Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye
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Bargain Bin: Here are the items related to today’s Survival Buzz.
Emergency Mylar Thermal Blankets (Pack of 10): I do believe in helping my neighbors in the community so a supply of these will be handy to hand out to those in need. You will be surprised at how warm these will keep you. Be sure to test one out in advance so that you have the confidence to trust the blanket in an emergency. About $6 for 10.
Paracord Planet Type III Nylon Paracord: An ideal all-around utility cord in the field, paracord is tough and long lasting. It is made from 550-pound test nylon and features a seven-strand core for maximum strength. Also, it is manufactured in the United States. Note that some colors may be more expensive than others. Need ideas? See 44 Really Cool Uses of Paracord for Survival.
Kashi Chocolate Almond & Sea Salt with Chia Chewy Granola Bars. 35 Bars: At less than 60 cents a bar, these are great. 140 calories and 6 grams of protein; much better than a candy bar!
Mylar bags & Oxygen Absorbers: What I love about Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers is they protect against every single one of the food storage enemies. Prices do vary but for the most part, they are inexpensive and easy to keep on hand. And while you can seal them up with a FoodSaver, some tubing and a common clothes iron, I find it infinitely easier with a cheap hair straightening iron that you can pick up $20 or less.
Black Berkey Primer Gizmo – Less than $20: Okay, that is my name for it. This device makes back-flushing a Black Berkey Filter a cinch. Following a disaster, when you are depending on your filters for clean water, you may not have running water. If you have a Berkey, you are going to want one of these inexpensive devices. For more information, see The Survival Buzz #160: Maintaining Black Berkey Filters.
Now Foods Peaceful Sleep Oil Blend: This budget priced oil has done wonders for my sleep (thank you John R!). It is a blend of Orange, Tangerine, Lavender, Chamomile, Ylang Ylang, and Sandalwood. I am using 30 drops to 1 ounce of carrier oil. My preference is BDS Simple Salve (that you can make yourself). You could also try making a room spray by adding 30 drops to 1 oz. of witch hazel in a a spray bottle.
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Shop the Emergency Essentials Monthly Specials: The monthly specials at Emergency Essentials feature discounts of up to 35% off sometimes a bit more.
A good value is the Do It Yourself SuperPail Combo which includes 8 x 6-Gallon Buckets with Lids, 8 x Metallized Storage Bags and a 10-Pack of Large Oxygen Absorbers.
Don’t forget that you do not need fancy equipment to seal the metalized bag. A cheap hair iron will do the job. Forget about a hose and a vacuum sealer. A $20 hair iron works great – just be sure to get one with 2” plates.
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Need something from Amazon (and who doesn’t)? I earn a small commission from purchases made when you begin your Amazon shopping experience here. You still get great Amazon service and the price is the same, no matter what.
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The Amazon Top Most Wished For and Best Selling Outdoor Items
Emergency Preparedness Items from Amazon.com
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Help support Backdoor Survival. Purchases earn a small commission and for that I thank you!
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Are You Interested in Essential Oils?
The Spark Naturals Oil of the Month Club is the best value out there – all oils are 15ml bottles – shipped out to you once a month (on the same date you ordered the product). The price is $15.99 a month and includes shipping and tax. This is a great way to collect oils at a discounted price.
The Survival Buzz #185: Some Weeks Are a Mixed Bag of Preps by Gaye Levy first appeared on Backdoor Survival.